Def Jam poet to visit Fresno

By Adam Albrecht
The Collegian

She has stood on street corners in Brooklyn and was the first Palestinian to perform on Broadway.

Palestinian-American poet and political activist Suheir Hammad performed as a member of the original cast of Def Poetry Jam on Broadway with the Tony-Award winner, Russell Simmons.

Hammad will read her own works and sign books in Fresno this Thursday.

Hammad, 22, has published four books of poetry. "Born Palestinian," "Born Black," "Drops Of This Story" and "ZaatarDiva" which was released in November 2005.

Hammad was born in Amman, Jordan to Palestinian refugee parents and later moved to Brooklyn, according to her Web site.

She wrote a poem titled “First Writing Since,” right after the 9/11 attacks explaining how she felt as a Palestinian living in New York at that time.

“Suheir Hammad is a sponge of culture, she is a little of everything. Every culture and ethnicity can relate to her poems. I just love her work; you can feel her emotion in every line," said Maysoon Salah, Founder of Ululate Productions, which is organizing the reading.

"When you read her work it is sort of being in her pasted and living through it all. Her style is just unique, there is nobody else out there like her,” Salah said. Hammad has appeared at Ivy League universities across the country reading her poetry to students, Salah said.

“Suheir Hammad is also a political activist. She went to New Orleans and helped the people after Katrina happened. She is all for helping the unfortunate,” Salah said.

Hammad is scheduled to be at the Samba Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse – Amazon Lounge, (6737 N. Palm – Fresno) on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. It is $7 at the door or $5 for students with a college ID.

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